In Japanese, depending on who you are talking to, we use all forms of different ending for our verbs. However, it will be most appropriate if you learn the polite form of each verb, so you can use them to anyone.<\/p>\n
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For example, take a look at the following conversation.<\/p>\n
You: How are you?<\/p>\n
Partner:I am doing well. Do you want to stop by Starbucks for a quick coffee?<\/p>\n
You: Sure, lets go.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If your partner here is your close friend, Japanese conversation might sound like this:<\/p>\n
You:\u00a0Genki? (\u5143\u6c17\uff1f\u3052\u3093\u304d\uff1f)<\/p>\n
Partner: Genki (dayo). Sutaba* de chotto cofi- demo dou? (\u5143\u6c17\uff08\u3060\u3088\uff09\u3002\u30b9\u30bf\u30d0\u3067\u3061\u3087\u3063\u3068\u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc\u3067\u3082\u3069\u3046\uff1f)<\/p>\n
*Starbucks is often called Sutaba (\u30b9\u30bf\u30d0) in Japanese.<\/p>\n
You: Iiyo. ikou! (\u3044\u3044\u3088\u3002\u884c\u3053\u3046\uff01\u3044\u3044\u3088\u3001\u3044\u3053\u3046\uff01)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Watch how this conversation changes if your partner is someone you don’t know too well, or someone you respect.<\/p>\n
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You: Ogenki desuka? (\u304a\u5143\u6c17\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f\u304a\u3052\u3093\u304d\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f)<\/p>\n
Partner: Genki desu. Sutaba* de chotto cofi- demo doudesuka? (\u5143\u6c17\u3067\u3059\u3002\u30b9\u30bf\u30d0\u3067\u3061\u3087\u3063\u3068\u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc\u3067\u3082\u3069\u3046\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f)<\/p>\n
You: Iidesuyo. Ikimashou.(\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3088\u3002\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046\u3002\u3044\u304d\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046\u3002)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The first thing you might notice here is adding “O(\u304a)” at the beginning of the word, “genki(\u5143\u6c17\u3001\u3052\u3093\u304d)”. By adding\u00a0 “O(\u304a)”, it sounds much more polite in this case.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The phrase from your partner also changed from Dou? (\u3069\u3046\uff1f) to Doudesuka? (\u3069\u3046\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f) The important thing to remember is, anytime you add “desu” to the end, it sounds much more polite.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Lastly, “ikou(\u884c\u3053\u3046)” changed to “ikimashou(\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046)”. \u00a0Ikimashou sounds much more polite in Japanese.<\/p>\n
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Let me show you how each verb will change when making them to polite form.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To write:<\/p>\n
Kaku(\u66f8\u304f\u3001\u304b\u304f) ====> Kaki masu (\u66f8\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3001\u304b\u304d\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To quit<\/p>\n
Yameru(\u6b62\u3081\u308b\u3001\u3084\u3081\u308b) \u00a0==> Yame masu(\u6b62\u3081\u307e\u3059\u3001\u3084\u3081\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To run<\/p>\n
Hashiru (\u8d70\u308b\u3001\u306f\u3057\u308b) \u00a0 ==> Hashiri masu(\u8d70\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3001\u306f\u3057\u308a\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To sleep<\/p>\n
Neru(\u5bdd\u308b\u3001\u306d\u308b) \u00a0==> Ne masu(\u5bdd\u307e\u3059\u3001\u306d\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To eat<\/p>\n
Taberu(\u98df\u3079\u308b\u3001\u305f\u3079\u308b) \u00a0==> Tabe masu(\u98df\u3079\u307e\u3059\u3001\u305f\u3079\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To watch<\/p>\n
Miru (\u898b\u308b\u3001\u307f\u308b) \u00a0==> Mi masu(\u898b\u307e\u3059\u3001\u307f\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To speak<\/p>\n
Shaberu (\u558b\u308b\u3001\u3057\u3083\u3079\u308b) \u00a0==> Shaberi masu(\u558b\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3001\u3057\u3083\u3079\u308a\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
To cry<\/p>\n
Naku (\u6ce3\u304f\u3001\u306a\u304f) \u00a0==> Naki masu(\u6ce3\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3001\u306a\u304d\u307e\u3059)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
You noticed that “masu(\u307e\u3059)” is the key word to add at the end of each verb. However, pay close attention to the ending, how each verb changes before you add the\u00a0“masu(\u307e\u3059)”.<\/p>\n
If you have any questions on any of these, please feel free to let me know in the comment section!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In Japanese, depending on who you are talking to, we use all forms of different ending for our verbs. However, it will be most appropriate if you learn the polite form of each verb, so you can use them to anyone. For example, take a look at the following conversation. You: How are you?…<\/p>\n